It's just coffee, right?
by ilovecastlesoverymuch
Summary: What if Castle hadn't come back after that summer? What if the thought of having to watch her be with Demming was too much? What if she was too stubborn to call him? Two years apart until the universe intervenes again. But it's just coffee, right? Maybe M
1. Chapter 1

_Obviously I don't own Castle. That really would be a wish come true._

…

**A man is sitting in his office**

Bored. That's how he feels. He knows that he should feel more, but he doesn't. He's just… bored,

He knows that he should care now as Gina nags him about how he hasn't written anything for months and before that what he had written was never remotely publishable.

Sometimes, late at night when inspiration still hasn't come and the alcohol has run out, he'll find himself wandering over to his bookshelf. He thinks it's quite pathetic really, looking over his own novels to remind himself that he is indeed an author and a bestselling one for that. He gains a small amount of relief from that piece of knowledge but it is quickly crushed by the realisation that this is what it has come to.

He used to sit in this very room typing for hours on end. Not because he had to. Not because Gina wouldn't leave him alone until he'd gotten something she could sell on paper. Sure sometimes it gave him a small bit of incentive to make a few deadlines, but generally it had nothing to do with that no matter what anyone else thought about it.

He'd do it because he loved it; loved creating something, building it up and watching it grow. He always loved a story and this was his own to mould and shape. He loved his characters. The ones you could really dig in to, the ones that were so intricate he felt an obligation to tell their story right and once he started you'd be lucky to tear him away from his computer. It's like a rush he can't even fully describe, better than almost anything else he's experienced before, excluding the feeling he gets when Alexis comes home accompanied by yet another A or when she's just being her most amazing daughter in the world self. Well and sex of course (he is a man after all) although he's a bit embarrassed to say sometimes it's come close to it.

But he doesn't get that anymore, the buzz has disappeared apparently with his imagination, creativity and baby girl who isn't so much of a baby anymore.

Columbia. It's not exactly far away but he feels the emotional, symbolic distance of her growing up and becoming an independent young lady outweighs the actually rather short drive across the city.

And that's why he's bored. Not because she's gone so much but because she has gone he has nothing else to focus on but the boredom he knows has been there for a long time but failed to do anything about.

He needs to get out of here. This room, this apartment, her. He was an idiot to think one long phone call meant they could re-establish a relationship. Sure the summer had been good. She was happy because he had gotten some writing done and even managed to finish what was to be his last Nikki Heat book. And when he wasn't writing she had been rewarding him for getting all that writing done. Yeah, it had been _really_ good for a while there.

But the summer had ended and the flame began flickering and dulling until all that was left was a bit of smoke that currently seemed to be coming out of her ears. He had considered getting a new publisher after the break up but Gina had proved to be nothing but professional thus far about the whole thing. Still though, seeing her always leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. Like a 'what could've been'. Not with her, he gave up on that thought a while ago. But with the mystery he never was able to solve.

Detective Kate Beckett.

The thought of her momentarily seems to break a small part of his boredom before he quickly remembers how he failed, couldn't charm her out of her tough detective front. Sometimes he'd thought he'd seen glimmers of hope, when they had gotten riled up over a case and their lips were only inches apart. The smell of cherries invading his senses. The way she couldn't always stop the blush or stifle a small smile and had to turn away trying to conceal it but he saw, he always did and it made an almost triumphant smile appear on his face.

But alas, he really had failed and lost her to some baboon of a robbery cop. Demming, Shlemming it was all the same. He'd lost and wasn't about to sit around watching them.

Together; getting engaged then married, having their pretty little detective babies and growing old together. Even the thought of it makes him want to throw up. He could never sit around watching the woman he loved-

Wait. Did he just say 'loved'?

No. No. No.

She had been an interest to him, a mystery he just had to solve and nothing more. Right?

Whatever he did or_ didn't _feel (because he didn't, right?) must have gone long ago anyway. They both said goodbye and moved on with their lives.

Well it wasn't exactly a goodbye. She had said she'd see him in the fall. But that had been a long time ago. He had planned to go back then. Honestly. But then he'd imagine walking back into the precinct, out of the elevator and finding her and Demming lip locking in a quiet corner when they thought no one was looking, or even just him putting a subtle hand on her lower back as she fretted over a particularly tricky case, letting her know he was there for her and he no longer had the motivation to return. He couldn't even pick up the phone and call her, too afraid it wouldn't be her that answered but her boyfriend, his voice dripping of sex. Sex with her. Not a place his mind wanted to go for too many different reasons.

So he'd just stayed away. It was for the best really. He could move on from his infatuation and she would soon forget about him, which she obviously had since he doesn't remember receiving a call either. Sure he'd said he'd be back but when he hadn't returned she hadn't exactly tried to track him down or checked up on him. But why would she? He was just some annoying 'nine year old on a sugar rush'. He had begun to think he was really making a difference and solving these cases. He'd stupidly thought she'd needed him. But really he'd forgotten how she was an amazing detective before him and would be just as good when he was gone.

She didn't need him. She didn't need anyone.

He needs to stop thinking about this, about her.

He needs to start looking forward to the future, not back into the past.

He needs a new character. He's tried a few so far but they were never complex enough, never smart, savvy or valiant enough. And without good enough characters how is he to build even the most basic of plots?

Gina suggested researching the different ways of killing someone like he used to do. Spending hours on the internet or talking to specialists looking for the most interesting and weird way you could end someone else's life that intrigued him to no end.

She had told him to write the story and the character would come. But that's not how he works. The story has to reflect the character and he thinks she knows that. She's simply realised she's not going to get a character out of him anytime soon and praying he'll find some other way to give her something before Black Pawn drops him completely. He can't blame them; they've been patient for long enough, they didn't want to lose their bestselling author. But he's given them nothing for over a year now and the name Richard Castle doesn't get him as far as it did a few years ago.

They're all praying for a comeback like no over. Even Alexis, who usually doesn't like getting involved with his writing except to proof read it for him, who usually sits back and lets him get on with it in his own time, has been asking him how it's going, encouraging him in her subtle ways so not to push him, just trying to give him a light tap in the right direction. When anyone else does it, it annoys him to no end. But with her, it makes him love her even more, something he thought wasn't possible. Because she doesn't care about the money he would earn, the fame and attention it would bring. She knows. Knows why he really does all of this and she just wants to bring back that joy for him. She just wants him to be happy. She always was the mature one.

And that knowledge gave him drive for a while and sparked something inside him. But eventually even that faded to nothing.

So now he's bored. Bored and not listening.

"Ouch!" He yells suddenly feeling a sharp pain in his arm.

"Richard! Have you been listening to anything I've been saying?" He looks away because he respects Gina too much to lie and knows it would be pointless anyway if he did.

She sighs and comes to sit down in the chair opposite him.

"Rick, they're going to drop you. I've fought all I can but if you don't come up with something soon…"

"I know Gina, and thank you for all that you've done for me but I can't help it. I'm no longer inspired and without inspiration I'm not an author, my writing is no longer a story, but just words slung together callously."

"So find some inspiration! You've done it before remember?"

"That was a once in a lifetime thing Gina."

She simply huffs out a breath. "Just try something Rick. A change of scenery maybe, you've been cooped up in this office for months. Take a walk or go to a coffee shop no matter how cliché it is. Inspiration doesn't have to come in the shape of one woman Richard."

"I'll try Gina." He appeases her even though he's pretty sure her idea will never work. At least she's coming up with something.

"That's all I ask. I'd better go; I've got a meeting to attend that I'm already late for."

"Bye Gina." He calls out as she makes her way towards the front door.

He makes to stand, grab his laptop and head out the door, ready to do just as she said but instantly collapse back into the seat. It's pointless really; a walk doesn't bring inspiration, not for him.

He walks to the kitchen. Thank god his mother loves 'a drink or two' he thinks as he opens a bottle of whisky. He goes to grab a glass, picks one up before setting it back down, grabbing the bottle and taking it back to his office. If it doesn't bring inspiration, at least it might numb the pain.

**A woman is sitting at her desk**

Bored. That's how she feels. She's so bored that the mountain of paperwork in front of her is actually beginning to look appealing. They just closed a case, though it's not much of a victory as it was an open-shut 'Jack shot Jill over Bill'' case and when they had arrived at the scene he had just been weeping in a corner, horrified by his own actions. The cases have been like this a lot recently actually ever since Castle-

No. No. No. She doesn't think about him. He left. He said he'd be back in the fall and that had been two years ago. He didn't even call. Therefore he doesn't deserve to be thought about or even considered. There is absolutely no connection between him leaving and the cases being less interesting, more normal. Well as normal as murder can get. It would be ridiculous to think there was.

She experiments with the idea that maybe it's just that he made cases she sees as normal seem interesting with his wacky alien and CIA theories. But she quickly dismisses this. He annoyed her with those stupid theories of his. They weren't even funny.

Although, she did laugh a few times. A real laugh, full of life and pure joy. She's forgotten what that's felt like, to just laugh, let go and experience joy. There hasn't been much laughter since he left.

She was going to tell him…

She doesn't know what she was going to tell him.

_Liar. _A small voice says in her head.

Fine she knows _exactly _what she was going to tell him.

That she'd changed her mind, she wanted to come with him, that she'd broken up with Demming because… because…

_Because?_

BECAUSE SHE LOVED HIM OKAY?

She really needs to stop having these weird internal arguments.

But that was then. That was before he ran off with his ex-wife and then never came back.

He mustn't care as much as Esposito had thought if he hasn't even bothered to call her. So she's glad in a way, that she didn't say it, she doesn't need that kind of rejection. Especially from Richard Castle.

They broke up though, Gina and he. She read about it in the paper, about how they'd been seen arguing in public, about how it got so bad the only solution was to end it. She tried to act like she didn't care, like it didn't even affect her, but it did.

She felt sad. That it hadn't worked out. She knew Castle well enough by now to know he must have put his all into the relationship. That he wouldn't have gotten back together with his ex-wife if he didn't think it could work, that they could rekindle what they once had and make it work this time.

So she's sad. Because he deserves someone to love who loves him just as equally, someone to build a life with.

She's ashamed to say she felt a little bit happy though, because if he spent the rest of his life with someone, please god let it not be her. The woman who had the _worst _timing in the world, who went to the Hamptons when it was supposed to be her going there with him. The woman he'd said he couldn't stand.

She had thought about calling him, seeing if he was okay. But then thought better of it. He hasn't been in contact because he obviously doesn't want to be and that's fine. Really it is. But she's not going to call him up and offer support and friendship that he obviously doesn't value enough to even call her. It would take ten minutes to drop by and say hello to her and the guys.

She heard the captain mention him on the phone to the mayor one day. Something about how he doesn't host his poker parties anymore; she was briefly worried until Montgomery had said that he had been focusing on his writing.

It made sense. He hasn't released a book since…the last Nikki Heat. He'd sent her a copy, but that's all she's heard from him. It hurt a little really. Knowing he was back in town, promoting his book and he didn't once try to get in contact. There had been a note with the book. A simple _Thankyou for everything._

The dedication was similar.

_Thankyou, to all my friends at the twelfth._

No KB specifically, he didn't even mention her. Maybe he really didn't care all that much.

"We're heading out Beckett, going for a drink, you coming?" Esposito says as he and Ryan begin gathering their stuff and putting on their coats.

"Not tonight, but have a good one." She smiles genuinely hoping they'll just leave it as she turns her head back to the form she was filling out.

"You say that every night Beckett." Ryan whines, trust him to sound so much like a six year old.

She laughs at their shared pouts. They really are the brothers she always wished she'd had.

"Really guys, I just want to finish this paperwork so I can go home and relax. But maybe another time?"

"We'll hold that to you Beckett." Esposito calls over his shoulder as he and Ryan make their way towards the elevator.

They've been so sweet lately, especially back in the fall, when he hadn't turned up. They would try to give her explanation after explanation as to why he hadn't been in contact yet and when they finally gave in to the possibility that he was never coming back they had been so quietly supportive. They did small things like bringing her coffee, staying that little bit later some difficult nights when they didn't have to and giving her those smiles that made everything feel that little bit better.

She may be their boss and order them around from time to time but they're really more like family and although some people think that would compromise a team, she thinks it makes them even stronger. That's why they've got the best closing rate in New York. Yes it's dropped a little since Castle left but they're still the best, as they were before he came along.

She decides she's done enough paperwork for one night so begins filing things away, grabs her bag and puts on her coat.

When she gets home she starts running a bath and heads to her bookcase but quickly stops herself, she hasn't been able to read anything of his since he left, except for the last Nikki Heat when curiosity had gotten the better of her. But apart from that, she doesn't think she ever will be able to again. Then there's all of her other favorites, ruined by the memory of him and his love for mystery.

So she decides against the bath, a quick shower does just as good a job right?

After, she falls onto her bed exhausted from the day, the day she will have again tomorrow and the day after that _and _everyday that follows.

She's bored, but the possibility that tomorrow she might arrest a very dangerous criminal and bring justice to a voiceless victim somewhat numbs the pain.

…

_So this is my second story and any logical person would of course not start a story when they barely have time to upload for the first one but this is how I write weirdly enough. I write two or three stories at once and alternate so I don't lose interest or get writer's block. I hope you like it so far and review so I can upload more! Because this surely can't be the end. Can it? Want our favorite duo to reunite? _


	2. Chapter 2

_Castle isn't mine…sadly. ):_

…

**A man paces in his office.**

"You've got to go Rick. Get back into the public's eye Rick, even if it is just with Alexis or your mother Rick. Show the world you haven't completely dropped off the face of the earth Rick. It's only some charity fundraiser, just smile for a few pictures and enjoy some free booze Rick.

Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick, _Rick!_" He mumbles irritably.

He agreed to this because he knows Paula is right but now the date is growing closer all he wants to do is curl up in a ball and hide from the world, in particular the reporters who will be asking him when he's finally going to bring out another book, because he simply doesn't have the answer.

Paula suggested being accompanied by some up and coming actress or pretty model and although the offer sounded appetising he didn't want to build up that reputation anymore. Being a 'playboy' got him famous once, but that isn't what he wants the world to think of him anymore. So he's taking Alexis, which Paula liked almost as much saying they would go for the 'family-man angle' or something. Rick didn't really care as long as he can have his favorite girl next to him for support when people start asking the difficult questions.

Still, even with that piece of assurance, he's not happy about this. He hasn't been to any of these since Gina and he broke up and back then she did most of the difficult talking and he hadn't failed to get a book published for a whole year, let alone not even started one.

"Dad, you've got to calm down." Alexis says as she walks into his office, taller and more beautiful than ever. She looks so grown up, a young woman and he couldn't be more proud and sad about it.

"I am calm pumpkin." No matter how old she gets he will never drop the pet-names and he's happy she hasn't tried to stop him as long as it's just them alone, especially with no boys around. Although he's wanted to try it a few times just to see that cute, bright blush grace her lovely features, it makes her look younger and he loves that she hasn't outgrown the blush just yet.

She laughs and points towards his fisted hands, the knuckles white with the amount of force he seems to be unconsciously applying to them.

"Yeah, real calm Dad."

"Okay so maybe I'm a little bit nervous."

"A little bit?" She chuckles again raising a single eyebrow in a way that reminds him that no matter the nickname or blush, she's really not a little girl anymore.

"Okay, a lot nervous then!" He huffs out a long breath and rakes his hands through his hair.

"Oh Dad." She sighs walking over to him and pulling him into a hug. He could never get bored of her hugs; they instantly calm him and make him feel better. She pulls back and stares up into his eyes. "It'll be fine. Two minutes in front of the cameras then we can find a quiet corner and make up stories about the snooty rich people who won't even know the name of the cause. Which one is cheating on their husband, a CIA agent or has a body in the boot of their car."

He pulls her into another hug and mumbles self-pitifully into her hair.

"Can we mock them mercilessly?"

"We can mock them as mercilessly as you want."

"I love you."

"I love you too Dad." She says softly before her look becomes a bit more mischievous.

"What do you want oh wonderful daughter of mine? Your wish is my command." And he really means it; he would do anything for his special girl.

"Just, I'll need a dress for the fundraiser, won't I?" She asks bashfully, which makes him laugh.

"Of course you do. I'll alert Dawn to be on the lookout for you and Mother, buy whatever you want no matter the price. Just try not to bankrupt me okay?" He breaks their embrace obviously thinking the conversation is over as he begins to walk back to his desk.

"Well actually we have a bit of a problem there…"

He turns around confused.

"A problem?"

"Just Grams is going to be busy for the next month let alone two weeks at the school as the opening night of the 'big play' is rapidly approaching. I'd take Emma or another one of my friends from Columbia but they've never been to one of these functions before and don't know the appropriate attire to help me decide. Besides if I take them to Dawn and they take a peek at a price tag, all the work I've put in to convince them that I didn't get into Columbia because my Dad is Richard Castle and I didn't buy my way in will fly out of the window."

"Pumpkin you got into Columbia completely on your own merit, they had no idea I'm your father."

"Yes we know that Dad but they don't."

He had been hesitant at first, wanting to help her in any way he could to get into the school of her dreams, especially after the downward spiral she went into after her rejection from early admission at Stanford, but was so proud when she got accepted to Columbia completely on her own hard work. He knew how much it meant to her that she'd got in on her own merit and therefore couldn't be any happier. Well that was until she got to Columbia and people heard the name Alexis Castle and jumped to their own stupid conclusions. She had done all that hard work to get in and now had to work to get people to take her seriously. It made him sick.

"Fine, then what are you suggesting?"

"You come with me!" The idea of having to leave the apartment and go dress shopping, even with Alexis, makes him visibly recoil.

"Alexis, I don't know..."

"Come on Dad. Pleeease." She's pouting and using the puppy dog eyes that he wishes he'd never taught her how to do so skillfully.

But like he said, he'd do anything for her.

"Okaaay." He drags out the answer as if still trying to stop the word coming out, but he can't resist her normally, let alone when she's doing that face.

"Yay! Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou! We'll have so much fun Dad, you won't regret it. I promise!"

And in a flourish she's gone and he's left reeling, wondering what on earth just happened. Women eh?

"So when are we doing this?" He yells through the apartment assuming she's already making her way up the stairs to her bedroom she stays in when she comes home to visit every once in a while.

He walks out into the living room to see her coming back down the stairs to stand at the bottom of them.

"I'm thinking Saturday morning, before I go to my weekly lunch with Paige." Then she begins climbing the stairs once again. "I assume you have no problem with that unless you've suddenly magicked up a social life." She calls over her shoulder.

This is her way of saying she's worried about him and he should get up and do more without turning it into some deep, slightly uncomfortable conversation. By inducing humor they can laugh it off whilst she knows he can detect the undertone of her serious worry.

But he could do that. A social life. He could march out of the apartment right now and catch up with some of his writer buddies or the mayor, or he could go to a bar, meet some new people, maybe a pretty female friend. There's his coat, his keys are right by the door. He could go right now. He takes a slow step forward before collapsing onto the sofa.

Tomorrow maybe or next week? Or how about he starts slow…

Saturday, a shopping trip with his daughter then he'd already be out when she goes off to lunch and he could stop by the Old Haunt or something.

Yeah, Saturday, he'll start with Saturday.

**A woman is sitting on a slab waiting impatiently for her friend **

"Hey Girl!" Lanie says way too cheerily.

"Lanie you asked me to meet you here twenty minutes ago."

"Sorry a meeting took longer than I expected. You're just lucky no bodies have dropped yet today or I wouldn't be able to meet you at all. I'd be cutting someone open right where you're sitting."

Kate jumps off of the slab immediately. Sure she knows Lanie does autopsies here but also know how much of a clean freak Lanie is and that these slabs are probably the cleanest things in the city so she doesn't mind sitting on them. But being reminded that a dead body could be lying down right where she's sat isn't the most welcoming of thoughts.

Of course Lanie just laughs.

"What did you want to see me about Lanie?" Kate huffs with annoyance.

"Can't a girl just want to talk to her best friend? We never do that anymore. _You_ never do that anymore. We never have girly nights in or out. You don't even come for a drink with the guys anymore let alone dancing with me like we used to do, admittedly very rarely, but much more than now. You know what you need girl, a social life."

"Did you just call me down here for a lecture Lanie? Because I have paperwork I need to do." She's heard it all before, and she could do that. Sure she could, but she'd rather spend her nights in alone with a glass of wine than out in some club no matter how antisocial it may sound. She has a social life, just not a very social one.

Lanie lets out a breath of defeat, knowing she's ultimately fighting a losing battle.

"No, I called you down about this." She picks up an envelope before taking out the elegantly embellished content and Kate knows exactly what she's talking about.

"Did you get yours?" Lanie asks although she already knows the answer, knows Kevin would deliver hers and Esposito's by hand as soon as they arrived, before anyone else's had even been sent out.

"You know I got it Lanie and you also know I would never miss Kevin's wedding. So what is it you're asking me about here?"

"So many things Kate, but first things first, plus one?"

"Don't think so, at least at the moment there isn't."

"But that could change oh so quickly if you just let me set you up with one of the guys I know."

"Yeah, because that went so well last time." Her voice is sodden with sarcasm.

She knows Lanie is just being a good friend and appreciates it really but she doesn't like blind dates, especially with some of the men Lanie knows. She likes meeting a guy herself, getting a first impression with no friend's opinion clouding her judgment, getting to know him because she wants to, not because her friend told her he's such a great guy. She'll be the judge of that thankyou very much.

"Okay so no plus one at the moment at least. Now for the most important part: the dress and shoes."

"We have tons of time for that Lanie." she laughs at her friend's eagerness when it's still months from the wedding.

"That's what you'd think but do you know how big this wedding's going to be? That means lots of women trying to find a dress around a month beforehand and when lots of girls have to find dresses all around the same time…"

"…it guarantees someone will turn up in the same dress as someone else." She finishes for her in slight horror (she may act like one of the guys in the workplace but she is a girl and understands the horror of such a terrifyingly real scenario."

"So we're gonna find some killer dresses now girl and by the time it's shopping time for all those other guests no store will have our dresses in stock."

"You're a genius Lanie." She laughs; she really has missed spending time with her best friend.

"I try." She says in false modesty that makes her laugh harder. "So you and me, Saturday morning? I'll pick you up and we'll grab coffee and breakfast then shop till we literally drop."

It's Lanie, so Kate knows she really means it. Lanie will literally drag her all over the city until they can no longer stand in pursuit of those dresses.

"Sure Lanie." Kate smiles actually looking forward to the shopping trip.

"See girl, a social life looks good on you. Maybe we can bump it up a little next time and go for drinks." Lanie smiles, looking very happy and proud of herself for convincing her friend to step out of her comfort zone for once in her life.

Kate laughs and begins to leave, she's spent all of her lunch break down here and needs to get back up and finish that paperwork.

"Baby steps Lanie, baby steps." She says before closing the door and heading towards the elevator.

Lanie really is getting a bit ahead of herself. She'll just focus on Saturday for now and see where it goes from there.

Saturday, she'll start with Saturday.

…

_Another chapter for you lovely people, thank you to all the alerters and the ones who reviewed, I would love to see some more of those as they always make me feel good and proud and like doing this is worth it, hope you enjoy._


	3. Chapter 3

_I don't own Castle. Duh._

...

**A man waits patiently in a private changing room.**

Alexis walks out in a long, yellow dress. He thinks she looks stunning. But she simply takes one look in the mirror, turning from side to side, before shaking her head and returning back to the changing room, ready to try on one of the other dresses Dawn has picked out for her. She must have tried on around twenty already today and in each one he thought she looked perfect. But that was the problem you see, he thinks she looks perfect in everything.

He'd told her so and she'd merely replied that it was 'sweet but not helpful in a fashion crisis', which was true really. He'd always had knack for picking out dresses for women but sadly when it came to his little girl he could never pick out a problem with an outfit. Whether it looked wrong or just didn't work or suit her or her skin color, it was truly not possible.

So he's extremely thankful for Dawn's presence today, she's really helped when it came to choosing the dresses and can offer Alexis real advice and feedback that isn't solely 'you look amazing in everything honey'.

'Speak of the devil' he thinks as Dawn enters the room offering him a small smile as greeting before sitting down next to him.

"They grow up so fast don't they?"

"That they do, Dawn. Way _way _too fast."

She giggles lightly at his answer "It only feels like yesterday when she skipped in here, age three, her and your mother looking for a bridesmaid dress for yours and Gina's wedding."

"Oh yeah, she did look lovely in that little blue dress."

He smiles brightly at the fond memory. He doesn't remember much of his wedding because Gina had made the decisions and planned out every detail meticulously to make the day the best day of _her _life, he mainly just turned up. But what he could never forget was the sight of Alexis prancing down the aisle, stealing the hearts of every guest there. She really had looked adorable.

He's suddenly brought back to the present by the ringing of his phone. He goes to answer it and…

"You won't get a good signal in here sweetheart, you'd better take that outside." Dawn stops him sweetly before heading out of the changing room. He follows a few moments later, after telling Alexis he's going to answer his phone and won't be gone long and then makes his way out of the boutique.

**A woman is getting tired and frustrated.**

They've been to ten different stores now, the first in which Lanie found not just a striking dress, or shoes to match, but she had to go and find a cute clutch that completed the whole dazzling outfit. But what has Kate found?

Nothing. Nada.

She'd gotten so desperate she'd even tried on some of the skimpier dresses Lanie had picked out for her, but even after that. Nothing!

She is so close to giving up when she sees a cute little boutique.

"Dawn's" Lanie reads aloud, obviously also noticing the store neither recall going to before. "It looks nice."

"It looks expensive." Kate has to say it. She took one look in the window at some of the elegant dresses and knew straight off they must be all hand made with extreme care and precision and the price of them would most definitely reflect that.

"It's Ryan's wedding Kate! Anyway, what else do you have to spend your money on apart from the odd pair of foreign heels every now and then?"

She's got a point there.

"True." She concedes, partly because she knows Lanie may be right but mainly because she's too desperate and tired to be picky right now.

Lanie, who doesn't seem at all affected by the full on morning of shopping hell, doesn't need any more confirmation.

"Good, let's go!" she squeals before grabbing Kate's arm and practically dragging her into the store.

When she enters, her initial feeling is surprise. It may look cute and little on the outside but inside it's actually a rather large store. Well she says 'store', but what it really seems to be is a beautiful maze of magnificent dresses.

Lanie squeals even louder. "I think I just died and went to shopping heaven girl!"

And in a second she's ran off already ooing and awwing every dress she comes across. Kate watches laughing before something catches her eye.

It's a dress. No, it's not just a dress, it's _the _dress. It's perfect! Exactly what she's been searching for all day.

Elegant and sophisticated yet fun and free with that little bit of sex appeal that makes her feel young and alive.

She picks it up. It's got to be made of the softest material she's ever felt. She is trying this thing on, now.

"Lanie!" She calls loudly, probably a bit too loudly but she doesn't really care right now. She receives no reply.

Great, Lanie must be lost somewhere in between the sequins and glitter. But Kate can't wait to find her; she needs to try on this dress. Right now. So she's going to, Lanie or no Lanie.

She rushes to the changing rooms and bumps straight into an older woman coming out of another changing room who she can only assume, due to the work uniform, is Dawn.

"Can I help you with something dear? I'm Dawn by the way."

"Yeah, hi Dawn, I just wanted to try on this dress." She says politely indicating to the object in her hands. This woman seems nice.

"Of course dear, just go in the one next to this one and call me if you need anything, I'm sure it will look lovely on you, it's one of my personal favorites and the color brings out your eyes." Dawn says warmly whilst leading her to the specified room.

Kate blushes and gives her a gentle smile, slightly embarrassed by the woman's kind words.

As soon as Dawn is gone Kate begins stripping herself of her clothes, a bit too eager to try on the dress. She's just carefully taking it off of the hanger when it occurs to her that she hasn't even looked at the price tag, something she usually checks straight away.

So she checks it quickly now and…

Whoa. That's a lot of zeros. But it's worth it right?

For a dress like this? And Lanie was right when she asked what else she would spend the money on. She barely goes out anymore or buys any luxury items. She doesn't watch much TV so saves a lot on her electricity bills and practically lives on takeaway food. Truth be told, she never really treats herself. Well that is unless you count her heels which she sees more as a necessity than luxury items.

She slips into the dress. Perfect fit. Wow. She's never fallen for a piece of clothing so hard so quickly but she thinks she could possibly murder for this dress, it's gorgeous.

She hears someone enter the room behind her and begins to turn, expecting to find an excited Lanie, arms full of dresses.

"So you finally made your way out of the-"

She stops dead.

Because that's not Lanie.

**A man is on the phone, arguing **_**again**_** with his publisher ex-wife**

"No Gina I haven't written anything new yet."

"Black Pawn is getting impatient Rick."

"Look I'm out with Alexis, she's about to buy a dress for the fundraiser. Press is good right?"

"Yes Rick, press is good but do you know what's better? The idea of my author actually writing a book!"

"I will write one Gina."

"When Rick? Did you even try what I said? Have you even left the apartment since I left apart from taking your _daughter shopping_?"

"Well no… but you and I both know that will never work Gina, I'll get no further inspiration out and about than in my office."

"You never know Rick. Inspiration could be right under your nose, just around the corner. You've just got to find it."

"Look I've got to go Gina, Alexis is probably wondering why I'm taking so long."

And with that he hangs up, takes a deep breath and re-enters the store.

He gets to the back where the changing rooms are and stops.

There are about ten identical rooms and he doesn't remember which one Dawn put him in and to make matters worse the woman in question also seems to be absent.

He could try calling Alexis' name but the likelihood of her hearing him over the music Dawn plays in the rooms isn't good.

They didn't walk along too far he thinks, so somewhere around… here!

He's nailed it down to two rooms now and doesn't know which one. Until he sees a chewing gum wrapper on the floor. It had caught his eye earlier as it seemed to be the only thing out of place in Dawn's immaculate changing rooms; it had been right outside the room they'd entered.

Definitely. This is the room, he has no doubt.

He enters but instantly freezes. Okay maybe not the room.

There's a woman in here, she looks weirdly familiar but he can only see the back of her so he can't be sure. He tries to figure out a quick way to get out without being noticed but the attempt proves pointless when she begins to speak, evidently having heard his entrance.

"So you finally made your way out of the-"

Wait a second. He knows that voice, he knows that…

"Castle."

"Beckett."

**A man and a woman stare long and hard at each other, both confused and astonished**

He notices her hair first; it's probably why he didn't recognise her from behind.

It's grown. Long and luscious, natural curls that make her seem wilder and as beautiful as ever. Then he takes a look at the rest of her and thinks his eyes may have just popped straight out of their sockets.

Because she, Detective Beckett, is standing before he, Richard Castle, in a strikingly gorgeous evening gown.

It's dark green and makes her stunning eyes pop. It hugs her body, emphasising her curves in all the right ways.

She's gotten slimmer over the past two years, not drastically, she still looks amazing and her legs, even barefoot without her usual heels, go on for miles. But she's lost enough to make him wish he'd been there these past years, slyly forcing her to eat some real food every now and then, not just the occasional skittle or takeaway. Where was Demming to do all that? What kind of boyfriend is he?

It's a sleeveless dress with a simple elegant shoulder that carries on around the back in two slits.

And talking of slits, there's one that he can't seem to take his eyes off of as it reveals one of her very _bare_ legs.

God those legs. So long, making her so tall. He's always loved that she's tall.

They've just been staring at each other for too long, he's got to say something.

"I am so sorry. I'm here with Alexis getting her a dress for some charity fundraiser I'm being forced to attend. I forgot which changing room she was in, thought I'd figured it out… guess I was wrong…"

"You think?" She wishes she could say she'd at least tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, but that would be a lie. He doesn't call or even attempt to get in contact with here for two years then they bump into each other and in true Richard Castle style all he can do is ogle her in a pretty dress. Typical.

"So… you look good Kate, you've changed your hair." He's determined to not let this conversation end here, he really has missed her.

"It grew." No duh. She really mustn't be very happy with him.

"So… what are you doing here?"

"Ryan, he-he's getting married. You remember Jenny right? Lanie and I are dress shopping but I lost her amongst the dresses in here as soon as I found this one."

"Wow, well that's great, please congratulate him for me will you and you should really get that one… you look truly extraordinary."

Extraordinary. No one ever called her that before him and no one has since. It feels good in a way, like nothing has changed, he's still got that look in his eye that lets her know he really means it and it makes her feel good.

That is until she realises that things have changed, that he left and didn't come back and therefore has no right to call her extraordinary anymore.

Still, she can't help the fluttering in her stomach and the fierce blush that rises to her cheeks at the word.

"Thankyou, I think I'm gonna."

There's a long awkward silence in which neither really knows what to say, until he's had enough of it.

"Look Kate-"

"No."

"Kate I-"

"I need to get changed Castle and you need to get back to Alexis now so…"

But he doesn't want to go, doesn't want to say goodbye just yet.

"Can we meet for lunch or a cup of coffee later maybe? Catch up?"

She's about to refuse; tell him to get the hell out of here. But then she sees the look on his face, the extra wrinkles that can't just be put down to laugh lines and the extensive bags under his beautiful blue eyes and she just can't do it. Lunch or a simple coffee, it isn't much. She could do that right?

"Sure Castle, but only for a little while, I'm expected back at the station this afternoon."

She agreed! He wants to do a happy dance right here but thinks it can wait until he's not in public, especially in front of Kate Beckett.

"Great! So I'll meet you around one? There's this diner just down the street."

"Yeah, I know it."

He stands there awkwardly for a moment unsure of what else to say.

"See you later then Kate."

Then he slips out of the room, falling to the floor, forcing himself to breathe deeply. Bumping into Kate Beckett after all this time is one thing, but in a dress shop while she's wearing _that_ is something on a completely different level.

"You okay Richard?" Dawn's voice, though gentle, makes his jump as he clambers to stand quickly.

"Fine! Just taking a quick break from all the girly shopping and what not."

Dawn laughs at him, obviously not believing his lie but drops it anyway.

"Well you won't have to put up with it for too much longer, I think we've found a winner."

They enter the room just as Alexis turns in their direction and wow. She really isn't his little girl anymore.

The dress is black and fits her perfectly, short enough to be modest and show that she's not a kid anymore but yet not so short or with slits (like Kate's dress had been, wow.) for him to go all protective daddy on her.

"What do you think Dad?" She says quietly, she looks so eager for his approval.

"That's the one." He's sure of it.

She walks to the mirror and closely inspects her reflection.

"How do you know?" She says quietly.

He walks up behind her wondering how to answer that particular question. He doesn't have any reasons like it suits her porcelain skin color or it would go really well with those cute black pumps she has at home etc. So he goes for the truth.

"I just know pumpkin. I just know because I walked in here a second ago and you took my breath away."

Then he puts his arm around her in a tight side hug as their eyes lock in the mirror.

"You look happy Dad."

"I am happy. You really do look amazing."

"Nuh uh. You're not getting off that easy, you look way happier than I do and I get to keep the dress. Who was on the phone?"

"No one important Alexis." He sighs as he begins to collect his stuff so he can leave her to change back out of the dress.

"Then what happened?"

This daughter of his is way too smart and inquisitive for her own good sometimes.

"Let's just say…" he walks to the door and opens it slowly.

"…inspiration struck." He gives her that trademark Castle smile that he knows she's missed and if he's being honest, so has he, before leaving the room and practically strutting to the counter, ready to pay.

He's going to lunch with Kate Beckett and he can't wait.

**A woman leaves a changing room feeling anxious and slightly disorientated. **

"So you like it?" Dawn's voice seems to pull her out of her reverie.

"Yeah I'll take it, thank you."

Dawn smiles and it's a genuine smile not an 'I just made a sale' smile.

Kate pays for the dress just as Lanie reappears,

"Where've you been girl?" Lanie asks confusion lacing her tone.

"Me? Well I found the perfect dress, just as you did a disappearing act, where were you?"

Lanie looks away guiltily. "Maybe I got a little bit engaged with the dresses."

"More like engrossed." Kate lightly chuckles.

"Whatever. So the perfect dress huh?"

"Yep. Now we just have to find some matching shoes and quick. I'm meeting… my dad for lunch."

"Okay, I know this great little shoe store a few blocks down, they're bound to have something."

Kate turns to leave but just catches a glimpse of him at the counter paying.

"Yeah sure let's go." She says hurriedly, practically dragging Lanie out of the shop.

"Are you okay Kate? Something seems… off."

"Of course! Why would anything be off?" She answers her voice a bit too high, quick and enthusiastic, despite her best efforts to keep it even.

"I don't know it just does. I mean you've gone white. It looks like you've seen a ghost."

Kate just laughs it off trying to sound as normal as possible. "Something like that."

Lanie doesn't know the half of it.

She is having lunch with Richard Castle, and although most of her is already regretting the decision, a small part of her can't wait.

…

_Thanks again for the alerts and couple of reviews, they are all really appreciated and I would love some more _

_I hope you like this chapter and there isn't any errors or mistakes._

_So they've met now, what will emerge from this lunch? I already have my ideas but yours are welcome my dear readers._


	4. Chapter 4

_Obviously I don't own Castle… duh :')_

…

**A man sits in a diner, nervously fiddling with some salt and pepper shakers.**

It's rather crowded, but that's to be expected. He is in a diner, on a Saturday, at lunchtime, across the street from one of the biggest malls in New York. That's why he'd thought ahead, came here especially early to ensure they got a table, because if he's getting a chance to have lunch with Kate Beckett he isn't going to bloody well blow it because he couldn't find a table.

So here he's sat, for the last twenty minutes, both his excitement and apprehension growing as the time dragged out. He's still slightly early, but she should be arriving soon.

He hopes he'll be able to breathe now she's out of that dress and back in street clothes. He thinks it'll make his mind a little less cloudy.

"Hey." Of course he's wrong. He simply waves at her, not trusting his voice. In a stunning dress or simple top and jeans, she never fails to take his breath away.

He'd been staring at that door constantly for the last fifteen minutes and he looks away for two seconds? How did he miss her coming in?

A waitress comes over and takes their order and he has to stop himself from ordering extra food for her, to try and make up for lost time and most of all, weight.

But then she's gone to make their food and they're both sitting there staring at their hands, neither willing to be the first to talk.

"Why am I here Castle?"

**A woman asks a man the question that's been on her mind since she'd left Dawn's Boutique earlier today**

"To catch up." He knows the excuse sounds lame, but what else is he supposed to say?

Kate lets out a humorless laugh raising a single accusative eyebrow.

"Catch up?"

"Yeah… hear about what you've all been up to over the years…"

"Why do you care?"

"Huh?" He thought she'd be a bit pissed but hadn't expected this reaction.

"I'll see you in the fall." She barks sardonically.

"I had every intention of coming back Beckett. I just..."

"Just what?" She snaps, because intentions aren't good enough; they can never just make up for what he did.

"I just…" He can't tell her. Not right now when she's acting like this. "…I didn't think you needed me anymore."

"Needed you?"

"I mean the team! I was just some annoying writer with his crazy theories that occasionally actually helped but got in the way most of the time, right?"

She sees no sign that he's acting. Did he really think he was such a burden?

"Occasionally? Castle you helped us crack lots of cases! Sure some theories were more…inventive than others, but we may not have found some serious criminals and locked them away if it weren't for you."

She's supposed to be giving him a hard time and _that's_ what she comes up with? Don't let him sweet talk his way back in Kate.

Who's she kidding? When he looks like that and just seems so extremely down on himself, how can she add to that now?

No. She's mad at him. If he's got issues, that's his problem.

"You really think that? That I helped? Could have helped these past two years?"

"These past two years? Well we'll never know about that now, will we?"

He'd seen a glimmer of hope in her little pep talk but the wall has shot right up again with the mention of his time away.

"Look, I meant to call. I did."

"Well you didn't. You sent a book with a quick thankyou in it. You didn't even say goodbye."

She's supposed to be showing no emotion, that's how she'd interrogate any other suspect, but she can't stop the little break in her voice at the last part, it had really hurt. But he wasn't allowed to know that. She had to get a handle on these emotions of hers.

"I know, and that was wrong, but I want to make it up to you?"

"You're not coming back." She says immediately. She let him back once after he'd messed with her mother's case, but this was different. He hadn't even tried to come crawling back this time.

"I don't expect to just be forgiven like that. I'm not sure I want to be, or if I want to come back."

Now she's confused. So he goes away for this long, asks to meet up for lunch and he doesn't even want to come back?

"What I do know is that I want to keep seeing you."

"_Seeing_ me?" That took her by surprise; he wanted to 'see' her? What was that supposed to mean?

"Once a week, for coffee, lunch, maybe dinner. I can ask you questions and you can tell me about the most gruesome murder of the week, how the boys are doing and of course the Captain and Lanie."

"Aren't you supposed to be writing a book?"

So she's still been keeping up to date with her Castle fansites, that's promising.

"You mean the book I've supposed to have been writing for a whole year now?" He laughs somberly. "I guess I lost inspiration."

She's saying no. Of course she is. He goes away for all this time and wants a weekly meeting just from one measly lunch? No way. Never. Not in a million years. Not in a billion years!

"Sure."

Wait what? What just happened?

Well he was staring at her with those puppy dog eyes that she used to say never worked on her, when in fact, they never failed. Oh God she said yes…

She said yes! She really said yes! He was going to be seeing Kate Beckett every week for a private catch up session. First lunch then maybe he could persuade her to come round for dinner in another lovely dress and they could-

Wait a second. He's missing something here. Forgotten something. Wait a minute!

"Won't your boyfriend mind?" He assumes he is still just the boyfriend as she hasn't got a ring on her finger.

"Boyfriend?" Kate responds confusedly.

"You know, pretty robbery detective. Demming I believe." Like he could ever forget.

Oh god. He thinks she's still with Demming.

Kate averts her gaze sadly as she replays the memory of breaking up with him in her mind, and more significantly what had happened just after she'd broken up with him.

Castle of course assumes the sad expression has been caused by some heartbreaking separation after a good long relationship between the two.

"You broke up?" He asks quite softly just failing to hide his immense shock.

'If only he knew' she thinks sadly, glad to not have to answer the question as their food arrives.

They sit there eating in silence for a while, but this isn't what he wants it to be like, they used to be able to talk about everything, well except for some things…

"So what's the coolest, weirdest, most gruesome case you've had while I've been away?"

He asks suddenly, shocking her slightly but immediately gaining her attention.

A small smile adorns her face and he's never been so relieved to see it.

"Well where to start really? Alien abduction? A psychic that predicted her own murder? Superheroes? Ghosts? Do I need to go on?"

She laughs at the picture in front of her, his jaw looks like it will need to be surgically removed from the floor.

"Alien…psychic…ghost... How much have I missed?"

She laughs and it fills the whole room and makes his confused look turn into a completely triumphant one. They'd both really missed that laugh.

But she can't let him think he's just off the hook like that, it still hurts, what he did.

"This doesn't mean I've just forgiven you, you know." She says suddenly, his smile turning it one of the most serious expressions she's ever seen to him.

"Yeah I know. And I don't expect you to have. I'm just asking for a chance, to earn back your trust, eventually."

She looks away and ponders on this for a while as he grows more and more anxious, she can't just back out of this all now can she?

"Once a week?" She asks when she finally looks up, meeting his gaze.

"Once a week."

They stay there just staring deeply into each others eyes, each searching for something unknown.

"I missed you." He finally says.

She smiles softly but doesn't say anything.

"Any chance you may have missed me too?"

"Naah." She draws out slowly, a smirk appearing on her face,

"Not even a little bit? A tiny little wittle bit?"

She laughs again and he thinks he could never stop loving that sound.

"Yeah well, I did have to get my own coffee." She admits reluctantly.

But he can see the tender smile beginning to form. She's missed him too.

"So… alien abduction you say?"

"Of course you'd start with that one."

"Well it was one of my most popular theories and it would seem, by the sound of it, that I was right."

"Sorry, think again Castle."

"What! No little green men?"

"See again with the assumptions, why do aliens always have to be green little men? Aliens could look like anything."

"So you admit you believe in them!" He cries out amusedly.

"No. I never said that." She says quickly, trying to backpedal out of this as fast as she can.

"Your words strongly implied it."

And just like that it is back to the way it had been before. Well not fully, they both know there's a lot of trust to be won back and a lot to be forgiven for. But it's a start, one he is overjoyed with personally and one she 'doesn't mind really'. Nope, she doesn't mind it at all.

**A mother walks through the door of her son's loft apartment**

"Richard?" She calls but receives no reply.

She hears typing coming from the study.

'Maybe Alexis came home to do some work after their shopping trip.' She thinks as she takes off her coat, beginning to walk towards the room.

But when she gets to the door, she's completely taken aback by the image in front of her.

Richard. Her son, Richard Castle. Typing. And not just typing, but typing furiously at the poor defenseless keyboard that seems to be struggling to keep up.

"What are you doing?" She cries out before she can stop herself.

He breaks out of the trance he's been in for hours and looks up confused, barely acknowledging her presence.

"Why hello to you too Mother. What do you think I'm doing? I'm writing."

"Writing what exactly?" she asks flabbergasted.

"A book of course Mother, I am an author after all."

Then he's back again to his energetic typing, leaving her staggered as she takes a few moments to process this, then a few more, and a couple more. Well quite a lot more actually. Before she wanders out of the room and into the living room, going for a glass of wine only to find the bottles Richard would usually just leave on the counter recently, away in the wine cooler, where he'd once kept them for special occasions. And there's only one bottle, which seems to be the only alcohol in the whole apartment.

Martha Rodgers has no idea what is going on with her son, but she's never been happier about it.

**A woman relaxes in her bath, sipping a glass of wine and reading one of her favorite books.**

She loves this book, she'll never admit that to him, but she does. It's the one that's signed. The one she waited in line for an hour to get signed by the one and only Richard Castle. No longer is she filled with dread at the idea of reading one of his books, and she's so relieved. She's really missed this and she'll never tell him but… she really missed him.

And now she's going to be meeting up with him every week, but that doesn't mean anything. Does it? I mean it's just coffee, right?

**A man sits at his computer, inspired.**

He's writing. He's really writing. And you know what? He thinks it's kind of good. Really good, even.

It's a new story, about a female detective. She's smart…cunning even, sophisticated, sassy and incredibly sexy, maybe even a little stripper like.

And then he realises. A smart, sexy, female stripper detective? Oh god. It's her. He's writing her all over again. Nikki Heat.

But that had ended; he'd thought he'd finished with that character. He hadn't wanted to, but writing about Kate would mean thinking about Kate, and thinking about Kate would mean thinking about Kate and Demming and how much he'd screwed up and how much he now missed her.

So he chose not to and thought he'd put her behind him. Of course now he realises his mistake, thinking a character inspired by Kate Beckett could just be put behind him had been a foolish thought.

But she was back now, Kate that is, back in his life once a week. And even more, she's no longer with Demming! He kicks himself for being too afraid to come back earlier now. Who knows how long ago they broke up?

He makes a mental note to ask her, subtly though, just bring it up in casual conversation somehow.

And what would she think of this, another Nikki Heat book?

Would she be mad? Probably if not definitely he thinks.

But you never know, she seemed to have missed him at least a little bit and the lunch had been pleasant, just like old times even.

So maybe she'd be happy, feel flattered in a way even...

Naah. Kate Beckett, the most private person he'd ever met, pleased at having another book written about her? Yeah right. In his dreams.

He'd have to ask her if it was okay, not now when he'd only just taken his first step on the long road to forgiveness, but he will, because he can't risk losing her again.

He looks over at the clock, finally becoming aware of what time it is.

11:23am

Wow, they say time flies when you're having fun, but he got back from meeting Kate around two o'clock when something deep inside him stirred, sending him straight into his office to write, that means he'd been writing for the best part of nine hours!

Now even for him, that's impressive.

He yawns, the exhaustion slowly beginning to catch up with him, so he decides he's done enough for one day before leaving the room, collapsing onto his bed and falling asleep before his head even hits the pillow.

His dreams, for once, aren't haunted by 'what ifs' and thoughts of being alone forever, instead they are full of the cherries and what he hopes to be a happy ever after.

An always.

…

_So another chapter for you lovely people! I got to update both my stories today so I'm rather happy about that and should update this again, as usual, in about a week._

_So what do you think so far? I'd love to hear and thanks to all the previous reviewers and alerts I really REALLY appreciate them :D_

_Also review if you have any ideas for the future of this story I love hearing other's ideas and incorporating them to mine. _


	5. Chapter 5

_I obviously don't own Castle. But after that __**AMAZING **__finale who wouldn't want to, right?_

…

**A man and a woman begin meeting, every week, just as planned.**

**Week 1**

They meet in a charming little coffee shop on the outskirts of the city. She wonders how he knows of such a place; it doesn't exactly scream Richard Castle. It's too…quiet. There's no rush of busy New Yorkers grabbing a quick cup of coffee on their fleetingly short lunch break like there is in the city. People come and get a table with room to really think.

They speak in hushed tones instead of having to shout to be heard. She likes it, maybe because she's never really liked the thought that someone could just be listening in on her private conversations. It seems like a place someone could visit in order to just blend into the background, which is mainly why she can't imagine him coming here.

Castle? Someone who wants to blend into the background and avoid any attention?

Not exactly a dictionary definition.

But they're here, a place he suggested and a place she's slowly falling in love with.

"You like it?"

Even after all this time he still has this ability to read her mind, know exactly what she's thinking and feeling.

"Yeah, I do. It's just…" so not you!

But she can't say that can she?

"Go on." He says encouragingly.

"No it's nothing. It's nice Castle, really nice." She says smiling genuinely, hoping he drops it.

"It's just that it's not a place you'd imagine me visiting?" He says before smirking as he knows, by her now gaping look, how spot on he is.

Again with the whole knowing her every thought thing…creepy.

"Not exactly." She chuckles.

"Well to be honest I don't come here often just when I need a little air, some peace and quiet away from everything."

"You? Peace and quiet?"

"Why yes Detective, why so surprised?"

"Me surprised? Not at all. I just have so many memories of the peace and quiet you brought everyday to the precinct…oh wait no."

"Detective, you hurt me." He puts a hand to his heart feigning real injury and she laughs because she's missed this.

"You'll get over it."

He smiles and she feels that fluttering in her stomach again. She must be hungry. That must be it.

"Do they do bear claws here?"

"I believe so; I'll go get you one."

He goes to stand but she quickly stops him by putting her hand on his where it rests on the table. A jolt of electricity travels up her arm and she finally realises what she's done. She pulls her hand back quickly, raking it through her hair trying to make the move look as natural as possible and failing miserably.

"No, you already got coffee, I've got this one."

She walks to the counter taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She really needs to get that bear claw soon because that fluttering is getting worse.

She's gone to get a bear claw. Thank god he thinks as he practically collapses into his seat. He'd been a complete nervous wreck all morning and her touching his hand like that had made his heart quicken a little. Deep breaths Ricky, she's on her way back.

There's an awkward moment when she returns until he reaches over and breaks off a bit of her bear claw, chewing on it smugly with a challenging eyebrow raised.

"Hey! Get your own bear claw!"

"Why when yours is right there?"

He goes to break off another bit but she yanks it back first, he leans over the table but she still holds it out of reach. He huffs leaning back again, trying to think of a new plan.

"Oh my god it's..!"

Kate immediately turns around to where he's pointing.

"What? Where?"

He uses the distraction to lean over and steal the pastry, breaking a bit off before depositing it into his mouth just as she turns back around.

"Hey no fair!"

"Finders keepers, losers weepers!"

"That doesn't even make sense in this situation." She laughs trying to reach for it and failing just as he had.

"Liar liar pants on fire!"

"What?" Kate laughs amusedly and Rick is immediately extremely proud of himself for thinking this particular plan up, gone is the previous awkwardness and she's even laughing! Really laughing without trying to hide the fact a soon as she can. He would never have dared to act like this with the old Beckett he used to know, she would have just got pissed off with him and threatened him and although he found that response incredibly sexy, this was way more fun.

An older woman stops next to their table, obviously having entered shortly before and seeing the mischief they were causing.

"It seems you've gone back to school dear." The woman directs at Kate, smiling kindly as both her and Castle blush looking embarrassed at the fact they'd completely forgotten there were other customers in here and acted like a bunch of two year olds.

But the woman just laughs before winking at Kate saying "Don't worry dear, when the boy picks on you it means he likes you."

If Kate was blushing before, he didn't know how to describe this, though he imagined his face was just as red.

The woman simply walks off chuckling to herself.

'Young love' she thinks glancing back once at the pair in the corner, both not meeting each other's gazes and rolling her eyes, 'they both have no clue'.

Kate is beginning to feel a bit uneasy. They've been sitting here for a while now in complete silence. He slowly breaks the bear claw in half putting one down in front of her, smiling sheepishly before saying:

"Guess we just have to learn to share."

She can't suppress the deep, full laugh that bubbles up in her throat. Not because the jokes particularly funny, but the way he seems to just relieve the tension so easily, it makes her wish she could just be like that, less socially awkward so to say.

"You really are just a big kid."

"Well I have admitted before that Alexis practically raised me rather than me raising her." He says with a sentimental smile and far away but happy look in his eye, it's a look she hasn't seen for a while but had never failed to make her smile. It was the look he'd adopt every time he thought about Alexis. A mixture of pride and love, she can just imagine all the memories that are now floating through his mind; her first step, her first word, her first mystery book, Christmases, birthday parties. She bets Castle went all out, no expense too much for his little princess.

"How is she?" She must be what now? Eighteen?

"Who?" Castle stutters confusedly, still half reminiscing on old times.

"Come on, you only get that look on your face when you're think about one pretty little red head in particular."

"Alexis, she's great!" He tries to sound as enthusiastic as possible but he's a fool to think even after all this time that she can't tell the difference.

She frowns and he's touched by her sudden worry for Alexis.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He doesn't want to bore her by moaning about how much he misses his daughter and hopes she'll just drop it. But again, he's a fool to think she just will as she arches an eyebrow in a 'Is that the best you could come up with? Do you think I'm an idiot or something?' sort of way.

"She really is great. Brilliant, beautiful, at college..." He tries to say the last two words as quickly as possible and move on when she cuts in.

"Oh! I get it! Baby bird finally flown the nest but Daddy Bird isn't ready yet?"

"Maaybe…" He draws out the word and averts his eyes.

She immediately drops the teasing tone and lays a hand on his arm, because well the arm is a _much _safer option than the hand.

"How long ago?" She says kindly and genuinely, her voice making him brave enough to meet her gaze.

"About a month." He says dejectedly.

"How're you coping?"

"Not so well." He sighs and she can tell it's the truth because he doesn't say it like he's pitying himself but rather just stating a fact.

"Where'd she go?"

"Columbia."

"Oh that's…wait what? That's like a half an hour drive from your place!"

"That's still so far!"

"Castle." She reprimands him before she sees his face again and how incredibly sad he really looks, no fake childish pout in sight.

"How often does she visit?"

"She stays the weekend every other week and we meet up for lunch or whatever every couple of days when she's not too busy. I know I should be glad. I mean some parents don't see their kids for months on end once they go to college and I see her tons in comparison it's just-"

"Castle." Her confident voice and the firm squeeze of her hand on his arm silences him. "You don't have to explain, I get it. Alexis is everything to you and you're used to seeing her every day, playing laser tag and torturing her with your weird food concoctions."

"You don't think I'm being pathetic?" He asks in shock because even he's starting to think he is.

"Please!" She reaches over and puts her fingers on his neck and he gasps quietly, praying she doesn't hear and forcing himself not to either jump away from the touch or move more into it. Just stay still Rick, like when you're being attacked by a lion or a tiger, don't poke or prod her when you have no idea what she's playing at.

"Yep, still breathing. Shaved and dressed not just correctly but with quite an amount of style and coordination." She says leaning back again, fingers leaving his pulse point.

"Huh?" He breathes puzzled and missing the contact instantly.

"If you'd have told me two or three years ago that Alexis had gone off to college I would have never expected this! Where's the Castle who would have stayed in bed all day with a tub of every ice cream flavor known to man watching reruns of friends wallowing in his own misery?"

He laughs at the image not too far off what he really had looked like the first night Alexis had gone.

"And Columbia! That's awesome!"

"Yeah, she was so happy the day she got the admission letter. I wanted to hide it at first but Mother wouldn't allow me." He sulks.

"Oh Martha! I almost forgot. How is she?"

"Mother is well, Mother. Crazy, embarrassing…"

"You love her quirky ways really." Kate says knowingly.

"Well of course I do, she wouldn't be her without them." He speaks honestly and she feels her heart lift a little, well until… "She'd be a normal human being instead"

She glares and hits his arm playfully then.

He just chuckles. "She's great actually; she came into some money and decided to open an acting school, so she's usually rather busy with that you know."

"An acting school? That's great she must be thrilled."

"Yeah, being able to tell a whole class of people about her success is her dream come true." He drones.

She laughs and goes to hit him again but he pulls away quickly smirking.

But she wipes that smirk right off his face by kicking his leg under the table, hard.

"Ouch!" He yelps slightly too dramatically and pouts at her.

"Man up Castle that was barely a tap."

"If you say so." He chants.

"Well I do." She goes to take a sip out of her coffee but ends up quickly spitting it straight back into the cup.

"What's wrong?" He asks startled and bewildered.

"The coffee…" she grimaces wiping her mouth with a napkin."…it's stone cold. How long have we just been sitting here?"

He looks at his watch and notices her doing the same thing. She still wears her father's watch and though he can't see it he would bet anything that she's also wearing her mother's ring under that smart but stylish dress shirt that has a few top buttons undone, if only she popped another one or two, he'd be able to look right at her- _mother's ring_. Yeah that is _exactly _what he means…

But in all seriousness, seeing the watch really does bring a small smile to his face. Hair may grow and beauty may intensify but he's still glad to see that some things never change.

"Wow." They both breathe out before laughing quietly at their weird connection.

He feels his coffee cup as if not trusting the truth.

"We've been here for over an hour already?" she laughs in disbelief.

"I know right! It's felt like ten minutes!"

She nods in agreement.

"Well Detective would you like another cup, I did ask you here on the promise of coffee after all and I'm a man of my word."

"I'd love to but I'm working this afternoon since one of Kapowski's team is getting married and tonight is the hen and stag do so we're picking up the slack while they get all dolled up."

He laughs through the disappointment because he doesn't want this to end yet.

"So you have to go?"

"Yeah but I'll see you next week?"

"Really?" He breathes a sigh of relief. Sure he'd thought it had gone well but who knows what really goes on in that mind of hers?

But she giggles. Actually giggles. Kate Beckett just giggled at something he said.

She coughs hurriedly trying to conceal the sound but he caught it. Definitely a giggle. But he can see she's embarrassed and he doesn't want to ruin this already over a giggle, so he schools his features and waits for her.

"Yeah well today's been good Castle, like old times."

He can't suppress the smile that her words elicit.

He's smiling and she's happy. Happy to have made him smile, but she's got to make one thing clear.

"This doesn't mean you're forgiven still. I've given you a clean slate and today's been a good start but don't think I can just forget and-"

"Ka-Beckett" Safer name choice. "I know and like I said before, I don't want forgiveness like that. Today has been great and I'm so grateful for the clean slate. I asked for a chance and you're giving me it so thank you."

She smiles sheepishly before picking up their cold coffees and throwing them in the trashcan.

"Maybe one coffee for the road. Wouldn't want to take away your whole man of my word thing, now would I?" She says with a twinkle in her eye.

"How good of you! Nothing to do with your major caffeine addiction right? What is it the coffee machine I bought you broken?"

"No. Hey I'm just that selfless."

He chuckles before ordering and paying for their drinks.

They walk slowly out of the coffee shop, both savoring every second left before it's back to writing and murder solving.

"Want a ride?" She suddenly says.

"I don't want you to go out of your way." He says politely whilst what he's really thinking is 'please _please _go out of your way'.

"Castle your place is on the way to the precinct." She laughs at him and he knows his expression must be saying 'how'd I forget that?'

"Then I would love a ride Detective Beckett."

They drive in comfortable silence. He's looking out of the window at the city he hasn't seen enough of lately whilst she keeps her eyes on the road contemplating how well the meeting she'd expected to be extremely awkward had gone.

At one point he goes to give her directions but is only met by the raise of her eyebrow.

"I know where you live Castle." She chuckles.

"That sounds like an eerie threat Detective?" He grins at her knowing she'll understand his little joke.

"Shut up Castle." She rolls her eyes and God he didn't know how much he'd missed that until now.

"I just thought…since you hadn't been there for ages…"

"That I'd just forget?" She near exclaims in surprise.

"Well…" He's not sure what to say. He really hadn't thought she'd put much thought into where he lived back then, let alone now.

They're outside his building now; all that's left is for him to get out of the car. He reaches towards the door handle but just as he makes contact with it he hears:

"Like I could ever forget Castle." Their eyes lock and that fluttering is right back in her stomach. Well Castle had eaten like half of the bear claw right…?

They stay like that for a little while before she turns away and he coughs trying to get back on track again. What was he doing? Oh right getting out of the car.

He gets out but stops before shutting the door.

"Until next week Kate."

She finally looks at him smiling sweetly at those all too familiar words.

"Until next week Ca…" She takes a deep breath "Rick."

Then she drives away like she didn't just leave him as a puddle on the sidewalk because unless he's going deaf, she just called him Rick.

He turns to enter the building behind him but runs straight into something leopard printed and fluffy with bright pink gloves, smelling like they've thrown a whole bottle of perfume over themselves.

"Mother!" He cries out in shock.

"Well hello to you too Richard. Was that who I thought it was dropping you off?"

"Another ordinary run of the mill taxi driver Mother? Why yes it was." He says quickly trying to walk around her but failing when she moves in his way, blocking any paths towards the doors of his building.

"Well I personally wouldn't call Detective Beckett a taxi driver and I think you're the one who used to say she was anything but ordinary and run of the mill Richard."

He stays quiet knowing that silence is probably the best plan of action right now and isn't disappointed when she huffs out a breath and steps out of the way.

"You're lucky I'm late for rehearsals at the school but we will be talking about this later." She says almost like a threat he has no doubt she'll be seeing through whether he likes it or not.

"Of course Mother." He surrenders reluctantly but his mother can see the small smile in his eyes. At least now she knows where his sudden inspiration has come from.

He enters the building with a skip in his step nodding happily to the doorman.

"You seem in a good mood Mr. Castle." He says amusedly.

"You know what? I really am." He seems astonished by his own words, only making the doorman chuckle more.

"It's been too long."

Castle turns and smiles at the kind man.

"It really has hasn't it?"

**A woman sits down at her desk.**

"What's got you so smiley Beckett?"

She jumps at the sound of one of her two co-worker's voices as they both appear in front of her, either that or she was so caught up in her thoughts of Ca- the coffee meeting that she didn't even notice them approaching her.

"Nothing." Denial works sometimes right?

The boys share a look but say nothing more on the topic. She thinks they're about to drop it when…

"So where've you been Beckett? You usually get here early when we come in for an afternoon let alone twenty minutes late."

"None of your business Esposito. Now would you like to catch me up on Kapowski's case?"

"You know what Ryan; I think she might have been late because she was on a date. What do you think?"

"Beckett on a date? No way, she would have told her two loyal, trustworthy, hardworking partners right?"

They both turn to look at her in the same second as if they'd practiced and timed the whole thing beforehand.

"The case, guys?"

"Cold Beckett, cold."

She glares at them a little giving them an 'I'm getting real impatient' expression.

"Fine Beckett but this boy better be worth it. Our victim is Amy Holloway…"

Oh if only they knew.

…

_Another chapter for you lovely readers but I won't have any up for ages sadly as the next two months are going to be chaos and I'm under so much stress at the moment. But once life calms down I hope to be uploading everyday to make it up to you! _

_I hope you enjoy this one as I had fun with it and certainly hope you have fun reading it. And don't forget to review please!_

_xxx_


	6. Chapter 6

_Again I do not, I repeat not, own Castle_

...

**Week 2**

It's her turn to pick their location this week and she'd been tempted to just choose the little coffee shop they'd visited last week but ultimately decided against it feeling a change of scenery might be good for their next meeting.

So she chose here, because she knows that Castle is going to _love_ this place.

She's slightly early but she had planned to be, wanting to wait outside for him so she could witness the look on his face when they walk in.

"Hey." She's startled out of her thoughts by a voice beside her, turning quickly to find him staring at the shop front curiously.

It's rather plain and old fashioned with a simple 'Mrs Malcolm's Place' sign above the door, nothing really to give away what is awaiting them on the inside. A fact Kate is thankful for as it means only a select amount of people actually know about and visit this place as a large crowd would only ruin this experience.

"Hi." She replies cheerfully, eager for them to enter already.

"So... where are we?" He chuckles confused, still looking the shop up and down.

"Oh you have no idea Castle." She replies, amused by his behaviour, before pushing open the door for them to enter together.

He smirks for a few seconds at her words and the memory they conjure with them before it drops straight off of his face at the sight of the shop's interior.

She can't suppress the loud chuckle that comes bubbling out of her when she sees his face totally transform, his mouth forming a wide 'O' shape and his eyes widening tenfold.

"What is this place and why have I never been here before?" He eventually squeals in excitement, his eyes darting from one thing to another trying to take it all in.

"This, Richard Castle, is the most amazing coffee slash candy shop in the world."

Jars full of liquorish, gummy bears, jelly beans any other type of candy you can think of litter the walls of the unexpectedly large shop. Children sit chatting on a long bench eating the largest ice-cream sundaes Rick has seen in his whole life, countless assorted toppings laid out before them. Several separate counters cover the shop floor with separate signs Rick can't quite read from this distance but can assume some from the extremely oversized lollipops on one, candyfloss maker on another and decorative cupcakes on one of the counters closer to them.

A large chocolate fountain acts as the centre piece of the shop, apparently open for anyone to dip whatever sweet they want in it whenever they like. Rick assumes this anyway as he watches one little girl run over with a bag full of marshmallows then proceed to dip them into the falling liquid chocolate one by one, a look of sheer delight on her face.

He's pulled out of his trance by Kate's growing laughter beside him.

"God Castle if I'd known this was all it took to get you to shut up I would have brought you here years ago. The Great Master of the Macabre, speechless. I'm almost proud."

He meets her teasing eyes with a false glare and simply follows her as she pulls on his sleeve, guiding him around the shop, pointing to different counters as she does.

"Okay Castle so we have our basic candy in the jars on the walls and you can pick and choose from them. We have candyfloss, ice cream, popcorn and lollipops. Candy bars, white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate. Candy from the past, candy of the present, candy from the-

"Future." Rick interrupts, rushing towards the aforementioned counter.

"Well technically not from the actual future but they look it I guess." Kate can't help enjoying this Rick. He's childlike but not in the nine year old on a sugar rush way she used to find so annoying. His pure innocence is actually quite cute.

Wait. Did she just call him cute? No. No-no-no. This is _Castle. _She does not find Castle cute.

"This is officially the coolest place on Earth."

She chuckles at his genuine tone, having no doubt that he means every word.

Okay so he's a little cute.

"Come on Castle you haven't seen the half of it yet. Plus we're not here for chocolate or ice cream today."

Castle follows her wordlessly as she takes him back to the large cupcake counter from earlier.

"Pick one, I'm going to go for a red velvet with cream cheese frosting, you?"

Ricks stumped for a moment, too many delicious options to choose from in front of him.

He hears Kate laugh, obviously catching on to his predicament.

"Just pick one Writer Boy, we can always come back for more."

"Writer_ Man._ And I think I'll have the same as you then as it does look_ so _good. Now you said this was a coffee place to but I don't exactly see any coffee."

"Patience, Castle. Like I said you haven't seen the half of it yet."

He's left confused when he sees her walk off towards a doorway at the back of the store he must have somehow missed earlier, but quickly snaps out of it and follows.

Through the doorway is a room slightly smaller than the one they'd just exited. And that isn't the only difference since this is, judging by the adults drinking coffee, the coffee part of the shop after all. No this room, compared to the other one, is much more dull.

Well not dull. No, that's the wrong word. The other one was just more bright and colourful and this is more... homely.

That's it. It's a homely and comfortable place with snug looking couches and rounded wooden tables rather than those not so comfy stools and desk-like counters you find in modern coffee shops.

"Sit Castle, I'll grab the coffee." Kate offers, indicating to one of the empty tables in front of them.

He can't suppress a small smile at the knowledge that to get the coffee, she must remember how he takes it. A bigger surprise than him remembering how she does, since he always did seem to get the coffee back then.

"So, I'm guessing you like the place." She begins when she returns, sitting down beside him on the couch and putting their coffees on the table in front of them.

"Maybe a little." He chuckles before biting into his cupcake and letting out a moan of pleasure at the sweet taste. "Okay a lot. This is the best cupcake I've ever eaten, bar none." He mumbles around another generous mouthful, resulting in more laughter from Kate.

"They are awesome. I've been trying to get the recipe for years but Charlotte's going to take it to her death bed apparently."

"Charlotte?"

"Charlotte Malcolm, the owner. I've been coming here for years and I thought she'd eventually cave but she's still holding on to all her secret recipes. She used to say it was because if she gave me all the recipes I'd have no reason to come back and see her. Silly woman. I'd always have a reason to come and see her, with or without the cupcakes."

Castle smiles at her, the obvious affection for the woman coming as a pleasant surprise given that he'd always thought that her whole life revolved around her job. He really does have no idea, doesn't he?

"So you've known her for a long time then?"

"Since I was four years old I think. Mom and I were on our way back from a trip to the park when she saw this place and said we should go in. I only remember because Mom would bring up this story all the time like her own personal fable because apparently I said something along the lines of 'It looks boring and you said we could go for ice-cream.' To which she replied something like 'You shouldn't judge a book by its cover Katie. That store could be the most amazing store ever for all you know and if we don't at least go in we'll never find out.' So we went in and she was right. As usual. To a four year old girl who wanted ice-cream it was the most amazing store ever. She said it backfired on her though because I made her take me here every weekend after that. Although I'm pretty sure she didn't mean it since she'd get to come in here, have some coffee and talk to Charlotte every week. They became good friends actually. Mom didn't have many of those who weren't lawyers themselves so I think it was kind of refreshing for her. We both got more than we expected out of this place in the end I guess."

Rick can't help the slight smile at her story, and well just her, Kate. She's practically beaming at the memory. Sentimental suits her.

"I just wish I'd known about this place. I would-I mean Alexis would have loved this place when she was little. Well we both would have. Except I'd probably have been constantly worried about losing her amongst all that out there."

"No but that's what's even better about this place." She points to three TV screens Rick hadn't noticed on the wall until now. "Charlotte set up some cameras in there a few years back that cover every angle so parents can just come in here and have some coffee but still keep an eye on their kids at all times."

They sit and simply watch the screens for a few minutes, just watching the pure joy and excitement in the children's behaviour as they eagerly run from one counter to another.

"So which one is yours?" A voice sounds beside them causing Rick to flush bright red and stutter, attempting to explain how they aren't even together like that. 'Not yet.' His mind adds before he can stop it. Stupid Rick. Kate just wants to have coffee and he's not even back in her good books yet.

It's just coffee Rick.

"I- umm-we aren't- I mean we're not-umm"

"Leave him be Charlotte." Kate laughs beside him as he looks between the two women, realisation hitting him like a slap in the face.

"So this is..."

"Charlotte." The older woman finishes for him. "And you must be Rick; Katie told me she'd be stopping by with a friend. She didn't mention how handsome this friend was though." She mumbles the last bit to Kate but still loud enough for him to hear as she bumps Kate's arm good naturedly.

"_Charlotte._" Kate moans and he thinks he may even see a slight blush. No, he must be seeing things now. It's just coffee Rick, get that into your head already.

Charlotte just seems to ignore Kate's whining however and continues talking to Rick.

"Thank you by the way, she hasn't been here in months and before that she only came in on rare occasions."

"You know what my job is like Charlotte, I'd be here every day if I could be."

"Hmmm." It's all the woman says, obviously not convinced by Kate's words.

"You have a wonderful shop here Charlotte. It's incredible." Rick complements the woman, feeling her store definitely deserves it, along with some kind of award or something.

"Thank you Dear; I'm rather proud of it myself." She replies with a kind smile, her words coming out without a hint of arrogance, only pride in her shop.

"As you should be. Really this place ceases to amaze me. You're lucky in a way that I only just learnt about it today, it's likely my daughter and I would've eaten you out of business years ago if we'd known of it."

Charlotte has sat down on a sofa opposite them by now, the sweet old woman leaning forwards at his words, ears practically pricking up.

"You have a daughter?"

Rick smiles, loving the opportunity to talk about his daughter. Yes he was one of those annoying dads who kept a picture of their baby in their wallet and showed it to everyone they knew, everywhere they went, he'll admit it. He's proud, that's all and it's not really his fault, he's got a lot to be proud of.

"Her name's Alexis. She's not exactly a kid anymore though, however much I wish she was. She just started college. Columbia actually. But I'm sure she'd still love this place, even though she's not a kid anymore."

"Then you'll have to bring her along Dear! I've always said that no one is ever too old for my place, everyone still has that inner child somewhere inside of them."

"Oh I think Castle's 'inner' child never really went inside of him Charlotte." Kate quips, her words aimed directly at Rick despite speaking to Charlotte.

"Well good! Life's too short; we should all be a little juvenile and foolish once in a while! And God knows you haven't for a long time, so at least you've got someone around who's not afraid to have fun."

"Yeah!" Rick agrees happily, smirking cheekily at Kate before turning back to the elder woman. "Charlotte, I really think this could be the start of a great friendship."

"Hey. I have fun. I just don't have to go around acting like a two year old to do so." Kate cuts in stubbornly.

Rick sniggers around his cup of coffee. "Suure." But he almost chokes when startled by the power of her glare. He forgot she could do that for a second there. "Okay then, why don't you tell me the last thing you did for the sole purpose of having fun? Not some little joke on a case or anything else work related, just something you did out of some pure human need to have some fun."

She sits there for a while, brow creasing in thought. He can tell that she can't think of anything. All the signs are there as she starts toying with her coffee cup, something she does when she's beginning to get frustrated, and she's biting her lip in annoyance. Something he doesn't find at all sexy. Not at all.

Eventually she huffs out an irritated breath.

"I have plenty of fun okay; let's just leave it at that. Now I'm going to the ladies room. No embarrassing stories while I'm gone okay Charlotte." She declares with a meaningful look towards the woman in question.

As soon as she is out of sight Rick practically launches towards the shop owner. "So you've known Kate since she was four years old, huh?"

"So you're dating Katie?"

Rick had been expecting to hear something along the lines of some sweet tale about Kate in her younger years but is completely taken aback by the quick reversal in the conversation.

"What? No. We're friends, if that at the moment."

Charlotte simply raises her eyebrows in disbelief before saying: "I don't know Rick. Katie has never brought anyone, let alone a man, here before and don't think I haven't lived long enough to recognise when two people are teasing each other, flirting as you young folk call it, I just can't believe you."

Rick's left dumbfounded all over again. When had this sweet little old woman become so devious?

"No really. I used to work with her, well kind of, but then I messed up and we haven't seen each other in a long time but then we bumped into each other, only two weeks ago in fact, I apologised and now we're just having coffee once a week." He tries to convince her, realising this is the first time he's actually talked to anyone about the situation.

"Really?" She looks unconvinced by the idea that these two people so in tune with each other had really only been meeting up again for two weeks.

"Really." Rick speaks more confidently this time.

She seems to finally believe him, the look on his face too sincerely honest. But then she shakes her head, still slightly confused by the situation.

"So what are you expecting to get out of these coffee meetings then?"

"I...well to be honest with you Charlotte, I really don't know yet. I mean we just bumped into each other and I felt like I couldn't let her out of my life again. I'm a writer, a bestselling writer actually, and I wrote some books based on her, because she inspired me. But since we parted ways I haven't been able to write, like anything in over a year now. Then we met again and that night I went home and wrote five chapters! So I don't know what I want Charlotte, I really don't. I just know that having coffee with her these last two weeks has been the most fun I've had in a long time."

He'd been avoiding Charlotte's eyes through the whole speech, afraid of what the woman who was as good as family to Kate would think of him. But when he does finally look up, he's surprised to see her smiling with a watery glint to her eyes.

"Rick, ever since Kate's mother died she's been a different person. She laughs, smiles and visits me less and she's just more guarded, like she's constantly got this wall around her. Then a few years ago she started coming in and laughing more and I felt like she was finally letting me beyond that wall again. Then it stopped and it was like she was the same as before. But now, here with you, I've never seen her so joyful and teasing and with such light in her eyes, and that makes me so happy. So whatever comes from these coffees Rick please just don't leave her. She puts up a front like she can take anything, strong as an ox, but she needs taking care of just as much as anyone else."

He hasn't got words. Has no idea what to say. She's smiling and laughing, because of him? And Charlotte doesn't want him to leave, wants him to 'take care of her'. But he didn't take care of her, he left her before and that hurt her.

No matter what comes from these meetings, he makes a promise to himself that he's never going to leave her again.

"Hey." Both Charlotte and Rick are startled by her voice nearing them but Charlotte seems to recover faster, whilst Rick simply stares at her, the beautiful woman he was never going to leave again. "Everything okay? You both look really serious." Kate lets out an anxious laugh, worried about just what they'd been talking about. Charlotte wouldn't have told him something too bad, would she?

"No Dear, Richard here was just telling me about the books he's written about you. Now why haven't I been told about, let alone read, any of these books?"

"Because they're mystery novels and you said you hated them Charlotte. You're more the Jane Austen type, remember?"

"Well mystery novel or not, nothing personal Rick I'm just not a fan of the genre, if it was a book about you Katie I would have read it anyway."

"Well bearing in mind that you're like a grandma-" She's stopped abruptly by the pointed look Charlotte gives her so quickly adds "-_aunty _to me, I don't think you or I would want you to read it. Castle wrote some rather...intimate scenes in some of the books."

"Intimate?" Great, Kate had hoped she wouldn't press any further. She did not want to talk to her about this kind of stuff. And now she's staring at them with a teasing smile. Even better. Kate feels like she's on the other side of the table in her own interrogation room or something.

Thank God Castle steps in.

"Yeah well it's what the readers want."

Maybe not then.

He tries to pass for nonchalance but it comes out more panicked, a slight squeak to his tone.

"Sure, what the_ readers _want." Charlotte snickers, resulting in a warning glare from Kate and fierce blush from Rick.

"Okay, okay." Charlotte smirks, putting her hands up in surrender at Kate's look. "Besides, I need to be getting back to the kitchen, those cupcakes won't bake themselves after all! Wonderful to meet you Richard, I hope to see you again soon. Oh and bring your daughter in any time you like!" She extends her hand to shake his softly.

"It was a pleasure to meet you too Charlotte and don't worry I think you'll be seeing a lot more of me around here from now on." He knows that she'll get the double meaning to his words and gives her a look to ensure she does before releasing her hand and simply smiling reassuringly at her.

She then goes to hug Kate who had up till now been staring suspiciously between the two as their eyes seemed to have some sort of secret conversation she was completely out of the loop about.

"I'd better be seeing you more often too Katie, it's been too long and I've missed you." Charlotte holds her tightly to her for longer than necessary, a slight breathlessness to her tone.

"I've missed you too Charlotte and don't worry I'll come visit you more often. I promise." The last two words in reply to the elder woman's sceptical gaze.

When the sweet, caring woman is gone Kate goes straight into detective mode.

"Okay Castle, what did she tell you? Nothing too embarrassing?" She's thankful that her tough cop face hides her nervousness at the thought that Charlotte had told him something utterly mortifying.

"Umm..." He has no idea what to say. He can't tell her what they were talking about, it was some unspoken agreement made between them after the emotional conversation. So he sits there quietly, cursing his writer brain for not jumping to action when he most needs it.

But Kate seems to take his silence differently.

"Oh no she told you something horrible, didn't she? Whatever it was I was probably way too young and naive when I did it to be blamed." The strong detective is gone, replaced by a new spluttering, blushing Kate Beckett he doesn't think he's ever seen so fully before, but finds absolutely adorable.

"Don't worry it was nothing too embarrassing."He tries to reassure her without actually lying.

"You can't just give me that. What did she tell you?"

It's only now as she leans in close, trying to get him to crack, does Castle realise how close she'd sat down next to him when she'd returned from the restroom. She's unsuitably close, but doesn't seem to notice, too occupied with trying to get him to talk.

"How about you tell me a story and I'll confirm?" He grins at her, leaning in also against his better judgement.

"Nice try Writer Boy. Just tell me!"

"No. And how many times do I have to tell you today? It's Writer _Man _Detective_._"

"Your squealing and giggling when we entered this place doesn't exactly back up your argument Castle."

"Please like you weren't exactly the same."

"I wasn't." She gasps. "I have self control."

He scoffs. "Really?" He doesn't think he can lean in much more before he begins to lose his self control but somehow he does.

"Really." She replies stubbornly, leaning forward too close, way _way _too close to him with challenging eyes.

Then he thinks it hits her as they just sit there staring at each other for a while, lips inches apart, noses almost brushing. Until he swears he sees her glance slip down to his lips so then his naturally goes to hers. They look soft and inviting. But this is just coffee. Just coffee to her, right? He needs to stop. If he screws this up by kissing her now after two coffee meetings and she pushes him away, he may never see her again.

So he pulls back quickly, averting his gaze to his now empty coffee cup.

He pulled away. She was sure he was going to kiss her and he pulled away. But it's for the best right? She's relieved he didn't kiss her. That they didn't ruin this new friendship they've only just begun. This is only coffee after all and she doesn't feel that way about him anymore...right? Then why does she feel slightly disappointed inside?

No. They're friends. And that is all. This is just coffee Kate. Get that into your head already!

"So, any interesting cases this week?" He finally begins after a fairly long awkward silence.

"Just a normal pop and drop in central park. No interesting twists or anything like that. Sorry to disappoint you Castle." She appreciates his attempt to bring them back to conversation so tries meet his efforts and act like the last few minutes never even happened.

"Boring." He draws out with a pout.

"Well they can't all have flesh eating zombies in them Castle." She utters casually before grabbing their cups and walking quickly to the counter.

"Wait- _zombies!_" He practically exclaims after her. "You didn't tell me there were zombies!"

...

_So I am sorry for the wait. I did try to warn you partially of it but didn't anticipate that when I started my new story 'The Dare' I would be uploading that rather frequently and barely have time for my other stories. But the other day I was on my account so decided to reread this and felt I should finally add another chapter._

_So now I'm going to ask your advice. I know you all like frequent updates so should I focus on one story and do that frequently or balance all stories frequently enough?_

_Also thanks so much again to the wonderful reviewers and alerters. You. Are. Awesome. And I would love to hear your feedback and comments again for this chapter since having not written for this story for a while I'm not sure about it and if maybe my style has changed slightly... Anyways :') Please review! Xxx_


	7. Chapter 7

_Running out of different ways to say that I don't own Castle, so I'm just going to copy and paste 'I don't own Castle.' at the top of every chapter. Seems clear enough. :')_

...

**A man returns home from his second coffee meeting with his former muse.**

He quietly enters his apartment, a bright smile on his face. The one he hasn't been able to get rid of since he and Kate said goodbye about twenty minutes ago. He'd probably freaked out a few people on the walk back to his loft but somehow he doesn't care.

The rest of the meeting had gone so well. They'd sat and talked over another cup of delicious coffee. Tales of zombies and other great cases, he's jealous he missed out on, being told while he filled her in on recent events in his life which consisted mainly of stories about Alexis and his mother as he specifically avoided talking about his book in progress. He didn't quite feel like talking about that yet. He thinks he'll wait until they've met up a safer amount of times for such a conversation.

They'd finished the meeting off with a dash around the shop, bagging as much candy as they possibly could, completely embarrassing themselves by being the only adults amongst a large group of children. Especially when said children had ceased their own sugar exploration to stare at them like they were crazy, while they just continued to giggle and playfully shove each other in pursuit of the most candy.

He'd planned to give his bag to Alexis but upon tasting some of it, decided to get another one for her instead. They'd worked on that one together, Rick telling her what kind of treats Alexis liked most as she told him what was really good and definitely worth trying there, until they had a whole bag stuffed with sugary goodness. A small taster for what he planned would be he and Alexis' next lunch date.

"Richard!"

Damn. He could have sworn his mother was supposed to be at the school today. Maybe if he acts like he didn't hear her and just heads into his office...

"Richard Alexander Rodgers, don't you dare ignore me. I brought you up better than that!"

Uh. She'd used his given name, and in its fullest form. Now he really can't ignore her.

"Mother! I didn't see you there!" He doesn't bother to sound that convincing, knowing she wouldn't believe him anyway if he did.

"I'm sure you didn't. Now sit." He sighs unwillingly but complies nonetheless. "Where have you been?"

"I went for coffee." He answers, reluctant to even tell her that much.

"Last time I checked we had perfectly good coffee right here in the apartment Richard." She smirks at him mischievously and he knows she's been waiting for some time to have this conversation and is going to enjoy every second of it.

"I was meeting someone if you must know Mother." He goes to stand hoping to get away while he can with the excuse of writing. Which after today he feels completely inspired to actually do. But he is stopped by his mother's hand on his arm, pulling him down once again, giving him a look that says they're not done and he won't get away until she decides they are.

"Anyone I might know?" He averts his gaze and she knows she's got him. "A Detective Kate Beckett perhaps?"

She smiles victoriously when he doesn't deny it, his own small smile actually appearing at the sound of the woman's name.

"We've met for coffee twice Mother. Catching up, telling me about cases. No biggie." He stands up quicker this time and walks swiftly around the couch towards his office.

"No biggie Richard?" She calls disbelievingly after him, following him into the office as he sits down in his chair and turns on his computer. "You followed this woman around for two whole years, wrote four books about her and expect me to believe that after all this time you're just 'catching up'?"

"Yes Mother." He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his growing frustration. "I bumped into her when I was out shopping with Alexis and she agreed to a weekly coffee, that's all. Now are we done? I really need to start catching up on all that writing I haven't been doing this year."

"And what exactly have you been writing so suddenly Richard?"

"Just some...new material Mother."

His eyes have been fixed on his screen up until now, checking where he'd gotten up to last time he'd written and avoiding his mothers gaze. So he almost jumps straight out of his seat, not to mention his skin, when he hears her voice behind him, apparently having walked around his desk at some point in the last minute.

"Really? Then why is that file called Heat Returns?" He clicks off of it abruptly, but knows it's too late. "You're writing Nikki Heat again?"

"Yes." He replies hesitantly with a slight nod.

"Are you going to be shadowing her again?"

"I don't know." He exhales slowly and finally turns in his chair to face her. "We only just started meeting for coffee and I've got a lot to make up for, she's made that pretty clear. But if she allowed me to, yes, I would love to go back and shadow her again."

"And that's all you want to do? Shadow her again?"

"Mother." He thought he'd heard the last of this kind of talk two years ago.

"Well come on Richard, ever since you left the precinct you've been falling into this... this downward spiral of doom-" Martha Rodgers, still as melodramatic as ever. "-but after a chance encounter with her you're writing again and getting out of the apartment more. You're a different man, a_ better _man. The man who brought up Alexis singlehandedly when Meredith was... well Meredith. The man who burnt his eyebrows off trying to make thanksgiving perfect for her. The man who I knew was always deep down inside you but got a little lost during the last two years."

Wow. His mother's right. He'd been so wrapped up in his talk with Charlotte and how he may have changed Kate, he hadn't even realised the massive change in himself.

Even the basic things like how he showers more regularly now rather than when the smell from his office became insufferable. Or how he's always clean shaven, whereas before he'd constantly have stubble and sometimes it had even got to the point where it looked like he was attempting the Guinness World Record for longest beard or something.

He got out of the apartment more, he was even thinking about hitting the gym once a week or more. He'd started jogging for now, something he'd never thought he'd make the effort to take up. But he'd looked in the mirror last week and realised that he'd put on quite a bit of weight, not majorly noticeable but enough for him to want to start taking action against it.

And he hadn't had a single drink since he'd run into Kate. Sure he wasn't exactly an alcoholic before; it wasn't like he was dependent on it. He'd merely had nothing better to do with his time, and now he did.

"I said it back then and I'll say it again now Kiddo. You need to go kiss that girl while you're still young and she's, I presume, single. Has what happened before taught you nothing?"

Yeah, he'd eventually told his mother about Demming, when she'd asked him why he hadn't yet returned to the precinct in the fall. She'd been sympathetic and upon realising that, at the time, he was rather happy in his new relationship with Gina, left him to his own devices.

But when they broke up and she saw her son beginning to lose his way she had told him to go back to the twelfth several times. But he wouldn't and she had to understand. She knew from personal experience that having to watch the person you love be with someone else was one of the most excruciating things a person could do.

Nevertheless she'd be damned if she was going to just sit there and watch while her son throws away what could be his last chance at true love. _Again._

"It's just coffee Mother." A doubtful and slightly disappointed look is all he receives in response, he supposes he deserves it though.

But it's the truth right? Well...

He may go on about his mother's antics all the time but she knows it's all a façade (well partly) and that really he loves her dearly and always tries to be honest with her. So with that in mind, he speaks hopefully with sigh:

"For now at least."

...

_So this is shorter than the other chapters since it was only meant to be the start of the third week chapter but got a bit longer than I expected and since I haven't updated as quickly as I'd hoped I thought I'd at least give you this bit as a chapter, besides I've seen much shorter fanfic chapters to be honest ._

_Thanks so much again for the AMAZING response and please keep it coming and review this. All types of feedback is welcome, so any queries or ideas just tell me! _

_In response to __holdingonhope__'s review (thanks so much by the way :D) I'm not sure how many chapters at the moment. I think I could easily do the story not spanning over months as the curse, that I know the real show will avoid due to its amazing writers, of how once they are together and the others find out the fun of it all will be gone could very well occur since I am not near close to how amazing they are! But I think if people did want me to and kept giving me such amazing support and maybe even some ideas, I would try to sustain the story for as long as I possibly can. So again I'm asking you what you guys think, lots of chapters? And when do I get them together, soon or wait it out a while longer? _


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